Feb 27, 2006

Fitz & Spitz...

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are callingFrom glen to glen, and down the mountain sideThe summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.But come ye back when summer's in the meadowOr when the valley's hushed and white with snow'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadowOh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.

And if you come, when all the flowers are dyingAnd I am dead, as dead I well may beYou'll come and find the place where I am lyingAnd kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above meAnd all my dreams will warm and sweeter beIf you'll not fail to tell me that you love meI'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

And one last one for the road...

May those who love us, love us;and those who don't love us,may God turn their hearts;and if He doesn't turn their hearts,may he turn their anklesso we'll know them by their limping. ;)

Feb 23, 2006

The beat goes on.Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain.La de da de de, la de da de da.

"Today, defense lawyers are also expected to file a motion asking U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton, who is presiding over the case, to dismiss all charges against Libby.

La de da de de

On Friday, Fitzgerald and the defense attorneys are scheduled to argue at a court hearing whether Fitzgerald should have to provide Libby with classified material and information about reporters and administration officials questioned in the investigation." Wa. Po.

Feb 15, 2006

Whittington Shooting Schmooting...

Brit Hume and our friends at FOX News might want toask Dicksome hard questions about how he shot himself in the foot with this Special Prosecutor:"Cheney told investigators that he first learned about Valerie Plame Wilson and her employment with the CIA from Libby. Cheney testified that Libby told him that several reporters had contacted him in July to say that Plame Wilson had been responsible for arranging her husband's trip to Niger to investigate the Niger uranium claims"

He lies about as well as he shoots.

Let The Sun Shine In: Vice President Dick Cheney directed his aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby to use classified material to discredit a critic of the Bush administration's Iraq war effort, the National Journal reported on Thursday. Court papers released last week show that Libby was authorized to disclose classified information to news reporters by "his superiors," in an effort to counteract diplomat Joe Wilson's charge that the Bush administration twisted intelligence on Iraq's nuclear weapons to justify the 2003 invasion.

Feb 14, 2006

I Am Irish...

so I can ask this question: Mr. Cheney how many drinks did you have on the afternoon of February 11th?

Mr. Vice President, be a man and answer truthfully or we will have to ask Mr. Whittington, Ms. Armstrong, Amb. Willeford and the Secret Service detail.

Thank you for your cooperation.UPDATE: Cheney's hunting host lobbied White HouseMSNBC - 1 hour ago... ... "There may be a beer or two ... she said, "but remember not everyone in the party was shooting.". ... Screen shot of scrubbed story.Uh huh, and I find it queer that MSNBC has scrubbed that quote from a piece online - either they are doing a separate story or under pressure from the most powerful man in the world.

Born Yesterday..?

In my line of work you learn how to read between the lines.

Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren said at least one deputy showed up at the ranch's front gate Saturday night and asked to speak to Cheney, but was turned away by Secret Service agents.Zahren said there was some miscommunication and that arrangements had been made for the vice president to be interviewed Sunday morning. The VP, in the field, with the shotgun and a snort of Jameson.

Shady Deals in Smoky Rooms...

have been replaced by email in this day and age -Abramoff Close Ties to Rove - andI have seen some very interesting ones between friends...Patience is a virtue in this far reaching case of greed, corruption and influence peddling. Remember Jack is cooperating. :)

Feb 13, 2006

In Theaters This Summer...

an Oliver Stone film based on true events.Stripped, weaponless, alone and only ten desperate seconds ahead of Dick Cheney!

Plot Summary: A group of men are on a bird hunting trip in Texas. One of the party Harry Whittington, a millionaire attorney from Austin refuses to give a gift to the most powerful man in the world - the Vice President of the United States. Dick is offended...

53 Felonies..!

That perks me up faster than a Venti Mocha Latte. Anything over fifty and I am impressed - hats off to Ohio's AG Jim Petro!Indictment in coin scandal

Thomas W. Noe, the coin dealer and prominent Bush and GOP contributor whose $50 million state coin investment sparked one of the biggest scandals in Ohio state government history, was indicted today. Noe used a “Ponzi” scheme to fabricate profits within the state’s questionable rare-coin investment.

The charges include engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, 11 counts of theft, 11 of money laundering, 8 of tampering with records and 22 of forgery. Noe could be sentenced to a maximum 175 years in prison.

Talk To The Hand...

If any politicians inside the Beltway want to call and offer me advice in this case - my direct line is 555-1212. Yeah, right!"Senator George Allen (R-VA) expressed confidence in Fitzgerald, whom he called "a very articulate, professional prosecutor." FYI, his father coached the Redskins, that is too cool! "I think this calls into question in terms of Fitzgerald's investigation of the conduct of the vice president and others," Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) said. "I think he has to look closely at their behavior."

I Am No Saint...

and now I will have to change my jogging route. The Observer "He is the relentless scourge of mobsters, terrorists, corrupt city bosses and even the White House. Paul Harris profiles Patrick Fitzgerald, the tenacious workaholic special prosecutor, who gives George Bush sleepless nights, and who has now turned his sights on the former Telegraph tycoon Conrad Black"

"On fine days, when the icy blasts that give Chicago its Windy City nickname are not too strong, a lone figure sometimes exits a plush downtown house. The man, tall but unstriking, jogs a short distance to the shore of Lake Michigan. There, he runs a narrow path between the deep blue of the lake and Chicago's jagged-toothed skyline."<more>

Feb 11, 2006

The Real Deal II - Bush/Abramoff/Rove Photo

"In the picture, President Bush is talking with Chief Raul Garza of the Kickapoo tribe of southwest Texas.

The NY Times, which published the photo,reports:[The picture] leaves unanswered questions about how Mr. Abramoff and the tribal leader, whom he was trying to sign as a client, gained access to a meeting with the president on the White House grounds that was ostensibly for a group of state legislators who were supporting Mr. Bush’s 2001 tax cut plan.

The photo of Abramoff with Bush at a private meeting undermines White House claims that any meetings between the two occured at “widely attended” holiday parties. The White House has confirmed the picture’s authenticity.

Time Magazine hasmore detailson the meeting: Talking about the photo, Abramoff has told friends, “I was standing right next to the window and after the picture was taken, the President came over and shook hands with me, and we chatted and joked.” A photograph of that scene as described by Abramoff was shown to TIME two weeks ago."

FYI, I am busy watching the Olympics with my friend Joe Biden and he said I could just copy and paste this text straight fromThinkProgressif I reformat it and fix their typos. Also, I stand by my the "other" photos of Bush and Abramoffhere.

And if you are curious as to where more photos are or what happened to them readthis.

Coulter on killing Bill Clinton:(Responding to a question from a Catholic University student about her biggest moral or ethical dilemma) "There was one time I had a shot at Clinton. I thought 'Ann, that's not going to help your career.'"

Coulter on moderate Republicans: "There is more dissent on a slave plantation then amongst moderates in the Republican party."

Coulter on the Holocaust: "Iran is soliciting cartoons on the Holocaust. So far, only Ted Rall, Garry Trudeau, and the NY Times have made submissions."

Coulter on the Supreme Court: "If we find out someone [referring to a terrorist] is going to attack the Supreme Court next week, can't we tell Roberts, Alito, Thomas and Scalito?"

Thebrutal regimeof General Pinochet is a perfect example of what can happen to good people when bad people in Washington ignore the rule of law and subscribe to an "ends justify the means" mentality under the guise of "patriotism" and "national security." Personally, I call them criminals.

Let The Sun Shine In...

New York Times:I. Lewis Libby Jr., the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, told a grand jury that he was authorized by his "superiors" to disclose classified information to reporters about Iraq's weapons capability in June and July 2003, according to a document filed by a federal prosecutor.

Associated Press:A former top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney told a federal grand jury that his superiors authorized him to give secret information to reporters as part of the Bush administration's defense of intelligence used to justify invading Iraq, according to court papers.

Washington Post:Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff testified that his bosses instructed him to leak information to reporters from a high-level intelligence report that suggested Iraq was trying to obtain weapons of mass destruction, according to court records in the CIA leak case.Cheney was one of the "superiors" I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby said had authorized him to make the disclosures, according to sources familiar with the investigation into Libby's discussions with reporters about CIA operative Valerie Plame.

Reuters:Vice President Dick Cheney directed his aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby to use classified material to discredit a critic of the Bush administration's Iraq war effort, the National Journal reported on Thursday.Court papers released last week show that Libby was authorized to disclose classified information to news reporters by "his superiors," in an effort to counteract diplomat Joe Wilson's charge that the Bush administration twisted intelligence on Iraq's nuclear weapons to justify the 2003 invasion.

Democracy Now: We speak with investigative journalist Murray Waas who reports that Lewis "Scooter" Libby - Cheney's indicted former chief of staff - testified he had been "authorized" by Cheney and other White House "superiors" to disclose classified information to journalists to defend the Bush administration's use of prewar intelligence in making the case to invade Iraq.

I Could Barely Sleep...

last night - wound up pretty tight in anticipation of taking the Grand Jury out for another spin today and one too many Red Bulls.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the media will be out in force today so I am going to wear my new dark blue three button Zegna, a white Brioni shirt w/ French cuffs (I figure anything French is good luck) and a perfectly matched Charvet tie (I know this because the sales clerk chose it...I am color blind). And since you don't go to the prom wearing dirty underwear (life wisdom an English professor once taught me) - boxers - 100% cotton, made in the U.S.A., no starch ;)

You Know It...

Clues Right Under My Nose...

the whole time. Doh!Cheney Spearheaded Effort to Discredit Wilson"The way I remember it," the CIA official said about that first meeting he attended in Cheney's office, "is that the vice president was obsessed with Wilson. He called him an 'asshole,' a son-of-a-bitch. He took his comments very personally. He wanted us to do everything in our power to destroy his reputation and he wanted to be kept up to date about the progress."Mr. Potty Mouth, in the EOB, with the fatal temper.

Heck Of A Job...

"Former disaster agency chief Michael Brown is indicating he is ready to reveal his correspondence with President Bush and other officials during Hurricane Katrina unless the White House forbids it and offers legal support."

Feb 8, 2006

The House Of Cards...

The Republican Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) has issued 51 questions to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on President Bush's warrantless wiretap program.

Combined with a move by the chairman of a House subcommittee on intelligence, and hearings in the Senate, the move is likely to signal that Republicans are not going to swallow the President's justification for the surveillance, and may be a precursor to hearings in the House.

Heaven Smiles...

Today mourners left flowers at the tomb where Coretta Scott King now rests beside her husband, the white stone of her tomb inscribed with a passage - “And now abide Faith, Hope, Love, These Three; but the greatest of these is Love.” First Corinthians

A Man Can Dream On A Cold Winter Day...

Howard Kurtz...

"The cable nets all made a great show of 'covering' the Senate Judiciary hearing by carrying the AG's opening statement, then maybe a question or two from Arlen Specter. Then they trotted out their legal analysts to talk about the meaning of the hearing, which by then must have been eight or nine minutes old. The hearing became video wallpaper as the cable talkers talked. They never even got to Pat Leahy, the panel's top Democrat, meaning that only Republican voices were heard. Gonzales essentially got a free ride."

Feb 6, 2006

A Chip Off The Old Block...

Wow!President Carter's son to run for U.S. Senate in Nevada. I think it is high-time that we had more "old fashioned values" here in Washington - you know good government, honesty, integrity, respect for other people's point of views and yes, even a little lust in the heart might be healthy.

IMHO, Jimmy still has it.

"Under the Bush administration, there's been a disgraceful and illegal decision — we're not going to the let the judges or the Congress or anyone else know that we're spying on the American people," President Carter told reporters. "And no one knows how many innocent Americans have had their privacy violated under this secret act."

"It's a ridiculous argument, not only bad, it's ridiculous. Obviously, the attorney general who said it's all right to torture prisoners and so forth is going to support the person who put him in office. But he's a very partisan attorney general and there's no doubt that he would say that," Carter said. "I hope that eventually the case will go to the Supreme Court. I have no doubt that when it's over, the Supreme Court will rule that Bush has violated the law."

The former president said he would testify before the Judiciary Committee if asked.

"If my voice is important to point of the intent of the law that was passed when I was president, I know all about that because it was one of the most important decisions I had to make."

Is Nothing Sacred..?

One Ringy Dingy...

Have I reached the party to whom I am speaking?

BIDEN: Let me very precise.

GONZALES: OK.

BIDEN: I have not heard of NSA saying to the Intelligence Committee, "We are binding ourselves as we engage in this activity under the minimization procedures of 12333, as well as other statutes." I'm unaware that that's written down or stated anywhere or been presented to the Intelligence Committee. Can you assure us that has been done?

GONZALES: No, sir, I can't assure you that.

BIDEN: Can you assure us, General, that you are fully, totally informed and confident that you know the absolute detail with which this program is being conducted? Can you assure us you personally can assure us that no one is being eavesdropped upon in the United States other than someone who has a communication that is emanating from foreign soil by a suspected terrorist, Al Qaida or otherwise?

GONZALES: Sir, I can't give you absolute assurance of the kind that you've asked for.

BIDEN: Who can?

ERNESTINE: Here at the Phone Company we handle eighty-four billion calls a year. Serving everyone from presidents and kings to scum of the earth. (snort) We realize that every so often you can't get an operator, for no apparent reason your phone goes out of order [snatches plug out of switchboard], or perhaps you get charged for a call you didn't make or we listen to your calls. We don't care. Watch this [bangs on a switch panel like a cheap piano] just lost Peoria. (snort) You see, this phone system consists of a multibillion-dollar matrix of space-age technology that is so sophisticated, even we can't handle it. But that's your problem, isn't it? Next time you complain about your phone service, why don't you try using two Dixie cups with a string. We don't care. We don't have to. (snort) We're the Phone Company!

Who Is This Helen Thomas..?

Helen and Scott went head to head today over the warrentless domestic spy program.

Q: Does the president think he should obey the law? He put his hand on the Bible twice to uphold the Constitution. Wiretapping is not legal under the circumstances without a warrant.MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, I guess you didn't pay attention to the attorney general's hearing earlier today, because he walked through very clearly the rationale behind this program.Q There is no rationale --MR. MCCLELLAN: And Helen, I think you have to ask --Q -- (inaudible) -- the law.MR. MCCLELLAN: I think you have ask are we -- well, he's not -- are we a nation at war.Q That's not the question.MR. MCCLELLAN: No, that is the issue here.Q The question is, the point is, there are means for him to go to -- get a warrant to spy on people.MR. MCCLELLAN: Enemy surveillance is critical to waging and winning war. It's one of the traditional tools of war.Q But he says he doesn't have running room --MR. MCCLELLAN: The attorney general outlined very clearly today how previous administrations have used the same authority --Q That doesn't make it legal.MR. MCCLELLAN: -- and cited the same -- and cited the very same authority.Q (Inaudible) -- they broke the law, that's too bad.MR. MCCLELLAN: And we're going to continue doing everything we can --Q You know what happened to Nixon when he broke the law.MR. MCCLELLAN: -- within our power to protect the American people.This is a very different circumstance, and you know that.Q No, I don't.

No Child Or Criminal Left Behind...

U.S. starts new H-bomb projectScientists are working on first new U.S. H-bomb project in 20 years. Agencies seeing decreased funds in Bush 2007 budget, by percentage:Corps of Engineers -41.3Housing and Urban Development -29.9Education -28.5Environmental Protection Agency -4.9Interior -2.4Commerce -2.2Energy -1.8Justice -0.6 -I need a bigger budget.

Americabloghas some biting commentary and questions for my boss and your AG at the Illegal Spying on Americans Hearings today:

"Hmm. He may "answer" the questions, but there's nothing to say his "answers" will be truthful. In fact, given the history of Gonzales testifying before Congress, it's safe to assume he will lie. And does anybody really think that the Bush Administration wasn't spying on their political enemies and the media?"

1. Attorney General Gonzales lied under oath to the US Senate last year about the Bush administration's spying-on-Americans program. Why did he perjure himself then, and why should we trust his testimony now?

2 Can Gonzales and the Bush administration guarantee that their eavesdropping never intentionally or unintentionally captured communications of American political opponents or US journalists?

3. If the Bush administration is so confident that it has the power under the constitution to continue spying on Americans, then will it let the FISA court review its domestic spying program in order to determine if the domestic spying is illegal or unconstitutional?

Feb 3, 2006

TGIF..!

It's almost Miller time! I was heading out the door after a long and fruitful day and week until SP Biloxi brought this article to my attention so I thought I would post it for all to see.

Fitzgerald Focuses on Missing White House Emails

"More than two dozen emails sent to various senior Bush administration officials between May 2003 and early July 2003 related to covert CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson and her husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, are missing, and the special prosecutor investigating the case suspects that the communications may have been destroyed, according to high level sources close to the two-year old probe.

The sources, who are knowledgeable about Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation and have read hundreds of pages of grand jury testimony, said the emails in question were sent between May and July 2003 by I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove, then-Deputy National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, former CIA official Frederick Fleitz, former Cheney aide John Hannah, former Cheney National Security assistant David Wurmser, former Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs John Bolton, and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card.

Fitzgerald also suspects that some emails sent to Vice President Cheney by Libby and senior officials at the CIA as well as Libby and Cheney's email replies during this time were not turned over to Fitzgerald's staff.

The sources added that Fitzgerald had learned about the existence of the missing emails during grand jury testimony given by key players in the case, some of whom are now cooperating with the probe in order to avert an indictment for their own roles in the leak. " <more>

I might even have a cigar tonight and by the way, I don't really drink Miller beer. ;)

Hecka Mecca Trouble Brewing...

I am all too familiar in dealing with extremists both here in America and from the Middle East and somehow I don't find it too surreal that our State Department has risen to the occasion and come to the defense of angered Muslims...

Jack And James Went Up The Hill...

Reprehensible..?

This political cartoon has created a heated response from the Pentagon - Here'sthe letterthe Joint Chiefs of Staff wrote to the Wa. Post....in responseothers say- "Maybe they should provide the body armor soldiers need to help avoid the sort of injury shown in the cartoon" and "It appears they [the Joint Chiefs] interpret cartoons as accurately as they do pre-war intelligence."

I fully support the brave men and women who are in military service to our country 110%, but until we afford them with the vehicle and body armor they require, an exit strategy and demand a fully funded VA for both their immediate AND long term needs and care our missionis NOT accomplished. As a nation we are kidding ourselves if anyone truly believes that our country honors its military and this war is a just cause.

from the NYT:A secret Pentagon study has found that at least 80 percent of the marines who have been killed in Iraq from wounds to their upper body could have survived if they had extra body armor. That armor has been available since 2003 but until recently the Pentagon has largely declined to supply it to troops despite calls from the field for additional protection, according to military officials.

Feb 2, 2006

Bush Is Addicted To Conflict....

and the military industrial complex.

Since our President gave me as an American the warning that I am "addicted to oil" and need to find new alternatives, let me counter with some advice for him - Mr. President your request for a $439.3B Defense Budget shows that you need to give peace a chance and learn how to play better with others.

Only 29% Of American Idol Viewers Stayed To Watch Bush State Of The Union...Yes, I was one of the 61% who found something more compelling - I dreamt I was plea bargaining with top aides in exchange for their testimony against "higher ups."

Feb 1, 2006

Moby Dick...

is only 750 pages, the King James version of the Holy Bible is 1293 pages, and War and Peace a mere 1424 pages.

In my line of work you shoot for the stars and hope for the moon. Regarding emails, phone records, memos, documents, briefings, etc. in this case - let's just say I snared the Milky Way and have been reading, reading, reading and reading, and then re-reading everything to read between the lines.

About Me

Think Globally Prosecute Locally
- I grew up in Flatbush, kept my nose clean, went to law school. Now that I am in Chicago and D.C. I have found that the rampant graft and corruption to be a travesty - a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham.
---Favorite quote --- "Conditional love is an oxymoron." - Yours truly